The Art Strollers "Creative Findings" section will feature exhibits, venues, events and products. Our goal is to bring forward finds that will creatively stimulate both you and your child. New findings will be featured weekly. Enjoy! ~ Veronika
February 07, 2012Tiny Tots at the ROM
For the second session I registered my middle guy for the Tiny Tots program at the ROM. It is always such a great opportunity to spend time with him and to enjoy what the ROM has to offer. During our first session we visited the dinosaurs - what a great way to start! We touched a T-Rex's tooth, his claws and even a bone. Then we digged for some dinosaur bones, did some dinosaur puzzles and heard a dinosaur story. He absolutely loved it. On another occasion we discovered underwater creatures with the highlight of touching the jaws of a shark including his teeth. We tour the gallery before it is open to the public so it is nice and quiet - the best part is that there is something to learn for everyone. Attached are pictures of my little guy in the discovery room continuing his underwater animal adventure. This is a great complementary way to get more in depth with one of the best museums the city has to offer.
February 02, 2012Simply Babies! photoshoots - starting its fourth year
Our Simply Babies! photosessions have been a favorite since Art Strollers was launched almost four years ago. The idea for the photoshoot was to offer parents great professional photography of their family, quality photography and a very pleasant time for all.
Why a group setting - well it takes away the pressure of a studio setting. The photography style stays consistent - natural photography capturing the moment between parent and child. Andrew Taylor is our photographer for the series, his capture of light and emotion goes unparalleled. We keep the price point low ($55-125 per session) and participants get all good images taken during the session at their desired file size. We now have families joining us for the fourth year, they come every 6 months or every birthday. Some families have grown to two even three children during that time.
Private sessions are also available out of our studio at 9 Davies by Queen E./DVP. Private sessions are for mom groups, families or moms wanting a more custom shoot. The sessions are well organized, held in a modern comfortable open photography studio with the use of backdrops, natural or strobe lights. All shoots are done with the same care and professionalism as for corporate and advertising clients. Make-up is available for the moms.
When I founded Art Strollers I wanted to meet other like minded moms who enjoyed a cultural outing with their little ones. My career has been in photography working on the business and production side so the creation of Simply Babies! was a natural extension and it has been a pleasure to work with photographer Andrew Taylor in creating quality, professional photography in an art environment. The beauty of the set-up is that it is structured as a workshop - now it operate in two locations, the Art Square cafe in front of the AGO and the Art Barn School on Eglington/Yonge.
We are now thrilled to start our winter session of Simply Babies! Our next session is Sunday February 19th at Art Barn School and Sunday February 26th at the Art Square Gallery in front of the AGO.
Our goal at Art Strollers is to offer premium cultural outings for families - we extend that goal towards our photoshoot experience and product.
Click here to register.
Looking forward seeing you at the sessions and do not hesitate to contact me for more details about the Simply Babies! or the private sessions at veronika@artstrollers.com or 416-830-7335
Veronika
Founder, art enthusiast and mother
Art Strollers Corporation
Why a group setting - well it takes away the pressure of a studio setting. The photography style stays consistent - natural photography capturing the moment between parent and child. Andrew Taylor is our photographer for the series, his capture of light and emotion goes unparalleled. We keep the price point low ($55-125 per session) and participants get all good images taken during the session at their desired file size. We now have families joining us for the fourth year, they come every 6 months or every birthday. Some families have grown to two even three children during that time.
Private sessions are also available out of our studio at 9 Davies by Queen E./DVP. Private sessions are for mom groups, families or moms wanting a more custom shoot. The sessions are well organized, held in a modern comfortable open photography studio with the use of backdrops, natural or strobe lights. All shoots are done with the same care and professionalism as for corporate and advertising clients. Make-up is available for the moms.
When I founded Art Strollers I wanted to meet other like minded moms who enjoyed a cultural outing with their little ones. My career has been in photography working on the business and production side so the creation of Simply Babies! was a natural extension and it has been a pleasure to work with photographer Andrew Taylor in creating quality, professional photography in an art environment. The beauty of the set-up is that it is structured as a workshop - now it operate in two locations, the Art Square cafe in front of the AGO and the Art Barn School on Eglington/Yonge.
We are now thrilled to start our winter session of Simply Babies! Our next session is Sunday February 19th at Art Barn School and Sunday February 26th at the Art Square Gallery in front of the AGO.
Our goal at Art Strollers is to offer premium cultural outings for families - we extend that goal towards our photoshoot experience and product.
Click here to register.
Looking forward seeing you at the sessions and do not hesitate to contact me for more details about the Simply Babies! or the private sessions at veronika@artstrollers.com or 416-830-7335
Veronika
Founder, art enthusiast and mother
Art Strollers Corporation
January 03, 2012All the best for the new year and My Art Lab and Music in the Barns
Wishing everyone all the best for the new year!
We are starting the year off with a great line up of programming
My Art Lab offers hands on art activities for children 5 months to 5 years. Andjelija Djuric invites children and parents into her personal studio to explore art, music and movement. Each week she set-ups the studio and children get to create, learn about and enjoy art. Sessions start on Wednesday January 11th and are offered Wednesdays and Saturdays for 5-18 month old and Sundays for 3-5 year olds.
Music in the Barns
With Tova Rosenberg learn about classical music, explore the instruments of the orchestra, play rhythmic games and are exposed to music from composers such as Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. Sessions are available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for children aged 3 months to 3 years and Thursday afternoons for children aged 3-5 years old.
We are starting the year off with a great line up of programming
My Art Lab offers hands on art activities for children 5 months to 5 years. Andjelija Djuric invites children and parents into her personal studio to explore art, music and movement. Each week she set-ups the studio and children get to create, learn about and enjoy art. Sessions start on Wednesday January 11th and are offered Wednesdays and Saturdays for 5-18 month old and Sundays for 3-5 year olds.
Music in the Barns
With Tova Rosenberg learn about classical music, explore the instruments of the orchestra, play rhythmic games and are exposed to music from composers such as Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. Sessions are available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for children aged 3 months to 3 years and Thursday afternoons for children aged 3-5 years old.
December 19, 2011Skiing with the kids at Mont Trembant
This week I am writing from Mont-Tremblant. We signed the boys up for a 4 day ski school. It is our first time in Mont-Tremblant with the children and how wonderful to share this beautiful village and superb activity with them. Both went down the mountain, learned some great ski techniques and met children from all over the world. We got to enjoy the slopes and time with the boys. Now back in Toronto, I researched all mountains and ski schools around the city. In the end of December we drove up to Horseshoe Valley - at 1h30 minutes - albeit exhausting can be done in one day. The mountain is nice and quaint, perfect for practicing technique for someone with little experience as myself. The ski school adapted well to the childrens needs and as the mountain is not too high, they had a chance to do a few runs with focus on various techniques. Next week we are off to Blue Mountain - we will be there for 3 days. Looking forward to sharing the experience. Now this does not have much to do with Art Strollers - but being in this superb winter environment does bring out a creative side to all of us - every night we would draw the best scene we saw on the mountain that day.
Below is a picture of the little one in Mont-Tremblant.
Below is a picture of the little one in Mont-Tremblant.
November 25, 2011Chagall at the AGO
We had one of our most successful AGO tours this week where we visited the Chagall exhibit. The works of the artist goes unsaid, what was highly impressive was the rest of the exhibit which included Kandinsky, Rochenko and many others. Painting was present but there was also the introduction of photography and motion. It really allowed us to understand the times these artists were in and how innovative their art was. Below I pasted one of my favorite images of all times which is on display in the exhibit. It's called "Stairway" by Rodchenko - the metaphor of parenting cannot be better presented. The exhibit closes January 15th, 2012
October 16, 2011David Hockney's Fresh Flowers exhibit at the ROM
It is with great excitement that I took the boys to see the David Hockney Fresh Flowers exhibit at the ROM. The 4th floor exhibit space is filled with the electronic devices showcasing the works. I was quite curious to see the display and to see if it was to be interactive from a viewers perspective. Although we cannot touch the devices we see rotations of images on them in addition to seeing the evolution of the works - which is truly a unique and fabulous process to see especially with the little ones, seeing how one colour stroke on top of the next composes the image is just amazing. As new images are added to the exhibit - we will definitely go ahead and see it a few more times. In addition, for the month of November, each Friday evening, local artists will be displaying their works featuring the multimedia mediums.
The exhibit is on until January 1st, 2012.
Go to http://www.rom.on.ca/hockney/exhibition.php for details about the artist and the exhibit.
The exhibit is on until January 1st, 2012.
Go to http://www.rom.on.ca/hockney/exhibition.php for details about the artist and the exhibit.
September 04, 2011Fellini Exhibit at TIFF
Last week I took my eldest to see the Fellini exhibit at TIFF. The exhibit is a combination of still and moving images from his movies, the making of the movies and how they affected society at the time. It is a beautiful walk through the times where you get engrossed in the fashion, the illusion and the creative. The way the exhibit is set-up you can view parts of the movie or theme within a movie and watch the part - perfect for my five year old. There is a room which shows the beginning of Papparazzi editorial style images and a fascinating look into Fellini's personal book of dreams.
The exhibit is on until September 18th - definitely recommended for anyone who loves Fellini and/or beautiful images. Note that it is a very informative exhibit and as you can go in an out with your ticket, I would recommend going in once, then enjoying lunch and going back for a second view. From November 4th - TIFF will present the Grace Kelly Exhibit from the Victoria & Albert Museum - very exciting.
The exhibit is on until September 18th - definitely recommended for anyone who loves Fellini and/or beautiful images. Note that it is a very informative exhibit and as you can go in an out with your ticket, I would recommend going in once, then enjoying lunch and going back for a second view. From November 4th - TIFF will present the Grace Kelly Exhibit from the Victoria & Albert Museum - very exciting.
August 02, 2011Targeting your True Beauty by Jennifer Wood, Make-up artist
Jennifer Wood is our make-up artist and photographer working on the monthly Portrait series for Roux Strategy (www.rouxstrategy.com) as well as on custom shoots. She is an expert at making everyone look perfect for their shoot. Her calm demeanor and expert touch, not only gives everyone the best face forward but also allows them to relax and get ready for their session. Here she talks a little about some Make-up tricks.
TARGETING YOUR TRUE BEAUTY by Jennifer Wood
Tired of the same old makeup look? Have limited time but want major impact? We all get stuck in a beauty rut. Targeting in and focusing on enhancing one facial feature will make all the difference in transforming your makeup look. So many women focus on trying to hide their flaws with makeup and not enough time on enhancing their best features. Targeting your True Beauty - is the answer... Which will it be: EYES, CHEEKS or LIPS...?
Begin with Basics
Start with prepping your skin. Using a daily moisturizer with a SPF or primer
Even out your skin tone by applying either a tinted moisturizer, liquid or cream foundation of your choice. Keep the foundation application natural and well blended.
Choose a pinkish or peachy coloured cream concealer will help to camouflage dark circles under eyes FOR BLEMISHES: Use ½ shade lighter concealer with more yellow tones than pink to counteract redness for blemishes or pigmentation
Set your foundation and eliminate shine by using a pressed or loose powder
Using a soft blusher brush contour your face using a matte powder bronzer
On the forehead
Along the temples &
Under the cheek bones (never apply bronzer over the entire face)
If you are focusing on ENHANCING your EYES:
BROWN EYES: use Navy & Sapphire eyeshadows or eyeliners – smudged into the lash line & neutral shades (shimmer browns) on the eye lids
BLUE EYES: use Taupe tones, Chocolate Browns & Bronze shades to enhance your blue eyes (using blue eyeshadows will only compete with your natural eye colour – choose warm hues)
GREEN EYES: Eyeliners and eye shadows in Lavender, Purple, Burgundy and Eggplant shades will help create contrast and also intensifies your green eyes.
HAZEL EYES: using a forest green eyeliners or eyeshadows – smudged into your lash line brings out and deepens the brown tones as well as enhances the greens in your eyes.
If you are focusing on ENHANCING your CHEEK BONES:
BLUSH ADDS COLOUR TO THE FACE AND CREATES A YOUTHFUL LOOK
Blushers are available in various formulas: CREAM, SHADOW, TINTS & GELS
With different finishes: SHEER, MATTE or SPARKLING SHIMMER
DRY SKIN: consider using a CREAM BLUSH
NORMAL SKIN: you can either use: CREAM, TINT or POWDER
OILY SKIN: opt for POWDERS or GELS
Choosing the correct shade of blush:
FAIR SKIN TONES: choose Pink or Peachy tones
MEDIUM SKIN TONES: aim for Corals or Rose shades
DARK SKIN TONES: choose Brighter & Bolder hues or shades
If you are focusing on ENHANCING your LIPS:
Create a timeless classic look by using minimal eye makeup with a bold lip:
SMALL LIPS: use light to mid-tone shades that contain pearly shimmer
MEDIUM LIPS: choose to enhance your lips with brighter & bolder shades
LARGE LIPS: use bold colours paired with minimal makeup - creates a perfect classical look.
TARGETING YOUR TRUE BEAUTY by Jennifer Wood
Tired of the same old makeup look? Have limited time but want major impact? We all get stuck in a beauty rut. Targeting in and focusing on enhancing one facial feature will make all the difference in transforming your makeup look. So many women focus on trying to hide their flaws with makeup and not enough time on enhancing their best features. Targeting your True Beauty - is the answer... Which will it be: EYES, CHEEKS or LIPS...?
Begin with Basics
Start with prepping your skin. Using a daily moisturizer with a SPF or primer
Even out your skin tone by applying either a tinted moisturizer, liquid or cream foundation of your choice. Keep the foundation application natural and well blended.
Choose a pinkish or peachy coloured cream concealer will help to camouflage dark circles under eyes FOR BLEMISHES: Use ½ shade lighter concealer with more yellow tones than pink to counteract redness for blemishes or pigmentation
Set your foundation and eliminate shine by using a pressed or loose powder
Using a soft blusher brush contour your face using a matte powder bronzer
On the forehead
Along the temples &
Under the cheek bones (never apply bronzer over the entire face)
If you are focusing on ENHANCING your EYES:
BROWN EYES: use Navy & Sapphire eyeshadows or eyeliners – smudged into the lash line & neutral shades (shimmer browns) on the eye lids
BLUE EYES: use Taupe tones, Chocolate Browns & Bronze shades to enhance your blue eyes (using blue eyeshadows will only compete with your natural eye colour – choose warm hues)
GREEN EYES: Eyeliners and eye shadows in Lavender, Purple, Burgundy and Eggplant shades will help create contrast and also intensifies your green eyes.
HAZEL EYES: using a forest green eyeliners or eyeshadows – smudged into your lash line brings out and deepens the brown tones as well as enhances the greens in your eyes.
If you are focusing on ENHANCING your CHEEK BONES:
BLUSH ADDS COLOUR TO THE FACE AND CREATES A YOUTHFUL LOOK
Blushers are available in various formulas: CREAM, SHADOW, TINTS & GELS
With different finishes: SHEER, MATTE or SPARKLING SHIMMER
DRY SKIN: consider using a CREAM BLUSH
NORMAL SKIN: you can either use: CREAM, TINT or POWDER
OILY SKIN: opt for POWDERS or GELS
Choosing the correct shade of blush:
FAIR SKIN TONES: choose Pink or Peachy tones
MEDIUM SKIN TONES: aim for Corals or Rose shades
DARK SKIN TONES: choose Brighter & Bolder hues or shades
If you are focusing on ENHANCING your LIPS:
Create a timeless classic look by using minimal eye makeup with a bold lip:
SMALL LIPS: use light to mid-tone shades that contain pearly shimmer
MEDIUM LIPS: choose to enhance your lips with brighter & bolder shades
LARGE LIPS: use bold colours paired with minimal makeup - creates a perfect classical look.
July 31, 2011Blue Mountain's active Tots Adventure camps
I am continuously looking for interesting options for the kids this summer. As we decided to stay put for the rest of the holiday, we will take advantage of some of the fabulous events offered in and around the city. It is with joy that I discovered the Adventure Camp at Blue Mountain. They have a program for children aged 18 months to five years which can be booked on a daily basis. Brilliant!
So we booked our three day getaway to Blue Mountain for August - not being from Ontario it is also exciting to see a little more of the province. Here is a link to the Blue Mountain camps and all activities it offers:
http://www.bluemountain.ca/green_childcare_new.htm#at
There are a few other cities we plan on visiting - Keinburg for the McMichael Museum, Hamilton for the airplane museum, Niagara on the Lake and Maple as I heard there are fabulous bakeries. Will keep you posted, every week it will be a different adventure.
So we booked our three day getaway to Blue Mountain for August - not being from Ontario it is also exciting to see a little more of the province. Here is a link to the Blue Mountain camps and all activities it offers:
http://www.bluemountain.ca/green_childcare_new.htm#at
There are a few other cities we plan on visiting - Keinburg for the McMichael Museum, Hamilton for the airplane museum, Niagara on the Lake and Maple as I heard there are fabulous bakeries. Will keep you posted, every week it will be a different adventure.
July 20, 2011Exhibit by photographer Andrew B/Myers at Pikto in the Distillery
Andrew B.Myers is a Toronto based young photographer who just had his first exhibit at Pikto in the Distillery. His images are highly conceptual and holds a unique style where backgrounds are unified in lighter colours and subjects are centralized. A few exceptions like American Psycho 2010 shows one gentleman looking out of a sequence of identical highrise windows. His images are a pleasure to all viewers including my mother, not being a photography enthusiast and preferring landscape oils, she fell in love and immediately purchased "Zoing!" as shown below.
For more details on Andrew B.Myers visit site at www.andrewbmyers.com. or visit Pikto in the Disillery District - his exhibit is on until August 2nd, 2011.
For more details on Andrew B.Myers visit site at www.andrewbmyers.com. or visit Pikto in the Disillery District - his exhibit is on until August 2nd, 2011.
July 11, 2011Discoveries at the ROM
My eldest started his first summer day camp last week and he was signed up for the Science Safari. A brilliant program really - he has been discovering great parts of the museum - dinosaurs, bat cave, fossils, reptiles, solar system and making little art projects to accompany his findings. He just loves it. SO as we are at the ROM on a daily basis now, I took advantage to discover parts of the ROM we seldom visit as the dinosaurs always get first grabs followed by the main exhibits. So here are some great parts discovered last week:
The Bollywood Exhibit : Cinema Showcards: Indian Film Art from the 1950s to the 1980s
Now this was just brilliant. Bollywood movies are high on our list of favorites for their colourful displays, the dancing, the signing and the oh-so creative and complicated story lines. This exhibit lived up to it - not only does it display the fabulous graphics and styes put into the art of the showcards but it also talks about the movies, their plots, why they were important during the period they were made and who the actors and directors represented. My three year old loved the graphics but what he loved most was the projection of a Raj Kapoor movie on the wall - he was mesmerized by the dancing, the signing and the visual effects of the movie.
The other part we discovered is the Egyptology which is in the block west of the Bollywood exhibit. There you have a maquette of an entire village, a wall made of encryptions and symbols, various objects, a tomb with a mummy and the interiors of a cave. Really amazing.
The last part was on the ground floor south/west of the main seating area when we walk in. There are great ancient Chinese artifacts, a carriage, a tomb, various thrones, chairs and everyday objects used in that part of the world through the centuries. They have two beautiful camel stone statues which were quite a hit with my three year old who wanted to climb on them - I have to thank the ROM for putting these great balck signs with a white hand on it and a big red no circle over the hand - perfect to offer the visual for the three year old to know what he can and can't touch.
This week the adventure will continue - can't wait to see what else we will find....
The Bollywood Exhibit : Cinema Showcards: Indian Film Art from the 1950s to the 1980s
Now this was just brilliant. Bollywood movies are high on our list of favorites for their colourful displays, the dancing, the signing and the oh-so creative and complicated story lines. This exhibit lived up to it - not only does it display the fabulous graphics and styes put into the art of the showcards but it also talks about the movies, their plots, why they were important during the period they were made and who the actors and directors represented. My three year old loved the graphics but what he loved most was the projection of a Raj Kapoor movie on the wall - he was mesmerized by the dancing, the signing and the visual effects of the movie.
The other part we discovered is the Egyptology which is in the block west of the Bollywood exhibit. There you have a maquette of an entire village, a wall made of encryptions and symbols, various objects, a tomb with a mummy and the interiors of a cave. Really amazing.
The last part was on the ground floor south/west of the main seating area when we walk in. There are great ancient Chinese artifacts, a carriage, a tomb, various thrones, chairs and everyday objects used in that part of the world through the centuries. They have two beautiful camel stone statues which were quite a hit with my three year old who wanted to climb on them - I have to thank the ROM for putting these great balck signs with a white hand on it and a big red no circle over the hand - perfect to offer the visual for the three year old to know what he can and can't touch.
This week the adventure will continue - can't wait to see what else we will find....
July 04, 2011Career path by artist Candy Chang
While browsing the web I found a fabulous project by artist Candy Chang - the Career Path. The project was created in Turku, Finland which in 2011 in the European Capital for Culture. The location is a path leading up to the Turku University became an interactive project where passersby wrote in colored chalk about their life goals - what they wanted to be when they are young and what they want to be today. A beautiful project about comparing yourself to when you were young and where you are at now - your goals, dreams, aspirations.
The scale of it is beautiful. We can all implement it in our own little way wherever we are.
For more on Candy Chang and her project, go to: http://candychang.com/
The scale of it is beautiful. We can all implement it in our own little way wherever we are.
For more on Candy Chang and her project, go to: http://candychang.com/
June 27, 2011Music in the Barns - Early Childhood music classes & Half day summer camps
Since we started doing our gallery tour series at the Wychwood Barns we have been discovering the wealth of resources available. The latest is Music at the Barns. Music in the Barns, Studio 164 at the Artscape Wychwood Barns, is a nexus for exploring and creating new avenues in the advancement of classical music. Music in the Barns functions as performer, presenter, and educator, furthering the music of our time and traditional classical music by developing innovative events, concerts and educational opportunities.
Not only do they offer great concert programming they also offer children programming including half day summer camps for children 3 to 6 where they will switch between the music and the art studio as well as the introduction of early childhood music classes starting with a 3 class series this summer and officially launching in the fall. In the 45 minute classes, moms and tots will:
1. Learn the Composers
2. Meet the instruments of the orchestra
3. Explore rhythms and dynamics
4. Sing new songs
5. Dance, shake and move to the music
The series are taught by Taught by Tova Rosenberg who is the creator of NYC Premier School for Strings Early Childhood Education Programme. She currently teaches at the Etobicoke School and has created an exciting new programme starting this Fall 2011.
This is absolutely brilliant as both moms and children can walk away with some great knowledge and experiences. For the last three years, our goal at Art Strollers was to create a culturally rich program where moms can enjoy an activity with their little one while discovering and learning more about the arts. So you can imagine the excitement when we found this for the beautiful world of music.
To learn more about Music in the Barns go to: http://www.musicinthebarns.com/
You can register for the summer sampler series on Art Strollers at http://www.artstrollers.com/music_in_the_barns. Fall programming will be available shortly.
Not only do they offer great concert programming they also offer children programming including half day summer camps for children 3 to 6 where they will switch between the music and the art studio as well as the introduction of early childhood music classes starting with a 3 class series this summer and officially launching in the fall. In the 45 minute classes, moms and tots will:
1. Learn the Composers
2. Meet the instruments of the orchestra
3. Explore rhythms and dynamics
4. Sing new songs
5. Dance, shake and move to the music
The series are taught by Taught by Tova Rosenberg who is the creator of NYC Premier School for Strings Early Childhood Education Programme. She currently teaches at the Etobicoke School and has created an exciting new programme starting this Fall 2011.
This is absolutely brilliant as both moms and children can walk away with some great knowledge and experiences. For the last three years, our goal at Art Strollers was to create a culturally rich program where moms can enjoy an activity with their little one while discovering and learning more about the arts. So you can imagine the excitement when we found this for the beautiful world of music.
To learn more about Music in the Barns go to: http://www.musicinthebarns.com/
You can register for the summer sampler series on Art Strollers at http://www.artstrollers.com/music_in_the_barns. Fall programming will be available shortly.
June 18, 2011Great new places along King West - SOMA Chocolate and Cool Hand Luke
Living along King West already offered us some great places to treat the kids, now it got even better! Last Tuesday, SOMA Chocolatier opened it's doors right by King and Spadina. Between their chocolates, their truffles, their Mayan chocolate shot and their gelato - there is loads to choose from. The facilities offers seating space as well as a great view into the chocolate making. As much as we love our trips to the Distillery - this is just perfect! http://www.somachocolate.com
The other place we discovered is Cool Hand Luc - a traditional ice cream place which offers the tiger ice cream in the kiddie size - already a favorite with the boys. http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/opening-daily-dish/2011/06/13/introducing-cool-hand-luc/
The neighborhood can't get any better!
The other place we discovered is Cool Hand Luc - a traditional ice cream place which offers the tiger ice cream in the kiddie size - already a favorite with the boys. http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/opening-daily-dish/2011/06/13/introducing-cool-hand-luc/
The neighborhood can't get any better!
June 12, 2011Music in the orchard at the Spadina Museum
Today, I took the boys to see a concert at the Spadina Museum. Each summer they run a series of great concerts in the gardens of the Museum. The concerts and the Strawberry festival are amongst our favorites in the city.
The grounds and setting of the museum are truly a wonderful place to walk around and explore. The gardens are sublime, the land beautifully groomed and the museum takes you back to the last century. My personal favorite is an early 20th century catalogue from the Bay featuring their upcoming winter jacket collection.
The Music in the Orchard series are 1 hour concerts which take place in the gardens. This week we saw the Taffanel Wind ensemble composed of a flute, clarinet and bassoon. To some classical, baroque, modern and children's themed song, we enjoyed the sounds as well as the view of the garden. There is one more concert taking place next week; Sunday June 19th from 1.30-2.30 where Ventelation - a group of eight wind instruments will play http://www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/spadina-garden.htm
Below are the two boys enjoying the concert:
Fpr more details on the Spadina Museum visit - http://www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/spadina.htm
The grounds and setting of the museum are truly a wonderful place to walk around and explore. The gardens are sublime, the land beautifully groomed and the museum takes you back to the last century. My personal favorite is an early 20th century catalogue from the Bay featuring their upcoming winter jacket collection.
The Music in the Orchard series are 1 hour concerts which take place in the gardens. This week we saw the Taffanel Wind ensemble composed of a flute, clarinet and bassoon. To some classical, baroque, modern and children's themed song, we enjoyed the sounds as well as the view of the garden. There is one more concert taking place next week; Sunday June 19th from 1.30-2.30 where Ventelation - a group of eight wind instruments will play http://www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/spadina-garden.htm
Below are the two boys enjoying the concert:
Fpr more details on the Spadina Museum visit - http://www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/spadina.htm
June 04, 2011Valhalla Cards on Queen W & Perpetual Puzzles
Coming back from my son's music lesson today we ventured into a little shop on Queen W which featured some interesting books in the window display. Valhalla Cards offers an assortment of greeting cards, gift wrapping and also great book finds, puzzles and more. There is loads to choose from and to discover.
My son ended up settling for this interesting puzzle called "Perpetual Puzzle - birds of paradise" It is 36 pieces of birds in three colour schemes, you can place them whichever way you want or follow their puzzle rules - which are really a challenge!
Valhalla is located at 799 Queen St W. You can also browse some of their selection online at http://www.valhallacards.com.
My son ended up settling for this interesting puzzle called "Perpetual Puzzle - birds of paradise" It is 36 pieces of birds in three colour schemes, you can place them whichever way you want or follow their puzzle rules - which are really a challenge!
Valhalla is located at 799 Queen St W. You can also browse some of their selection online at http://www.valhallacards.com.
May 29, 2011AGO - Abstract Expressionist New York
Today my eight month old and I ventured to the AGO to see the Abstract Expressionist New York - Masterpieces from The Museum of Modern Art exhibit. Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko have long been favorites so seeing an entire exhibit devoted to their times was quite exciting.
The exhibit did not deceive. One large room filled with Jackson Pollock's work - not only his drip-style works but also his first piece purchased by the MOMA as well as his experiments of black ink on canvas. Mark Rothko's paintings filled a large exhibition hall, you can get lost in his large works containing rectangular shapes. To my pleasure there was even photographer specializing in the style such as Rudy Burckhardt, Robert Frank and Aaron Siskind. The exhibit offers a great introduction to the movement, explains the impact it had on art at the time and on art as it is seen today.
The exhibit is great to see with children, the work titles and details are located under the works close to the floor, it is perfect to read with school aged children. For toddlers and babies, the contrasts within the works and their size are sure to capture their attention.
Really looking forward to the Art Strollers guided tour this oncoming Thursday. As the tour is fully guided, we will get the chance to ask all the questions we want about this fabulous exhibit.
For details about the Art Strollers tour, Thursday June 2nd, click here.
For details on the exhibit click here.
The exhibit did not deceive. One large room filled with Jackson Pollock's work - not only his drip-style works but also his first piece purchased by the MOMA as well as his experiments of black ink on canvas. Mark Rothko's paintings filled a large exhibition hall, you can get lost in his large works containing rectangular shapes. To my pleasure there was even photographer specializing in the style such as Rudy Burckhardt, Robert Frank and Aaron Siskind. The exhibit offers a great introduction to the movement, explains the impact it had on art at the time and on art as it is seen today.
The exhibit is great to see with children, the work titles and details are located under the works close to the floor, it is perfect to read with school aged children. For toddlers and babies, the contrasts within the works and their size are sure to capture their attention.
Really looking forward to the Art Strollers guided tour this oncoming Thursday. As the tour is fully guided, we will get the chance to ask all the questions we want about this fabulous exhibit.
For details about the Art Strollers tour, Thursday June 2nd, click here.
For details on the exhibit click here.
May 22, 2011FYI by Rowena - Funn-Y Instructions
I've been shopping at IKEA a lot lately to get all sorts of things for my little guy's big boy bedroom. Anyone who's ever tried to put together anything from IKEA will understand why I had to share these awesomely funny assembly instructions. Also being a big Star Wars fan, I know I would have liked to put together the LITSABBUR! I wonder how much it would cost and if they came in a twin pack? May the FJORS be with you!
via DorNob ttp://dornob.com/ikea-geek-4-more-fun-fake-manuals-for-the-sci-fi-inclined/h
-- Rowena
via DorNob ttp://dornob.com/ikea-geek-4-more-fun-fake-manuals-for-the-sci-fi-inclined/h
-- Rowena
May 19, 2011Summer day camps at Theater Direct
Over the last few weeks the research for summer day camps has been on. The offering is very impressive and I quickly put together a great schedule for my almost five year old. Between the discovery of animals at the ROM, furthering music with his teacher and theater, he will definitely have a wonderful summer filled with new discoveries.
One program I wanted to highlight is the Summer Theater program at Theater Direct. Located in the Wychwood Barns, they have a great intimate space. A few months back we went to see "Head a Tete" a brilliant play about communication, interaction and human relationships which was perfect for young and old. So I was thrilled to see they have a summer day camp offering which starts at pre-kindergarden age and go up to 13 years of age. Here are the details of their programs:
This summer Theatre Direct is offering camps for ages 3 - 13
Ages 3-4
Join Theatre Direct for a special 4-day camp for ages 3 and 4, a great option for children entering JK in the fall. A gentle introduction to theatre learning through group based stories into drama, music, movement and visual arts.
August 2-5, 1:30pm - 4:00pm
$140 for this 4-day introductory camp
Spaces still available for Ages 4-5
This half day camp is a nurturing and safe environment for children to create, play and discover the world of theatre. A fun presentation at the end of the week will integrate the music, drama and movement and fun design activities tailored for this age group.
July 4 - 8, 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm
$175 for this action packed 5-day camp
Limited space available in our camps for ages 6-10 - New this year a Theatre Intensive camp for ages 10-13.
All of Theatre Direct's camps take place in Theatre Direct's Wychwood Theatre located in the Artscape Wychwood Barns.
Visit www.theatredirect.ca for more information and to register or contact Kristin at Theatre Direct's office at 416-537-4191 x224 or associate@theatredirect.on.ca
One program I wanted to highlight is the Summer Theater program at Theater Direct. Located in the Wychwood Barns, they have a great intimate space. A few months back we went to see "Head a Tete" a brilliant play about communication, interaction and human relationships which was perfect for young and old. So I was thrilled to see they have a summer day camp offering which starts at pre-kindergarden age and go up to 13 years of age. Here are the details of their programs:
This summer Theatre Direct is offering camps for ages 3 - 13
Ages 3-4
Join Theatre Direct for a special 4-day camp for ages 3 and 4, a great option for children entering JK in the fall. A gentle introduction to theatre learning through group based stories into drama, music, movement and visual arts.
August 2-5, 1:30pm - 4:00pm
$140 for this 4-day introductory camp
Spaces still available for Ages 4-5
This half day camp is a nurturing and safe environment for children to create, play and discover the world of theatre. A fun presentation at the end of the week will integrate the music, drama and movement and fun design activities tailored for this age group.
July 4 - 8, 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm
$175 for this action packed 5-day camp
Limited space available in our camps for ages 6-10 - New this year a Theatre Intensive camp for ages 10-13.
All of Theatre Direct's camps take place in Theatre Direct's Wychwood Theatre located in the Artscape Wychwood Barns.
Visit www.theatredirect.ca for more information and to register or contact Kristin at Theatre Direct's office at 416-537-4191 x224 or associate@theatredirect.on.ca
May 13, 2011Some Great Contact Photofestival exhibits
lThe Contact Photo festival is on in Toronto and the city is filled with fabulous exhibits. Here are some of the favorites seen to date and if they are stroller friendly:
@ the ROM - Edward Burtynsky's - Oil : This impressive 53 large print edition takes on the Roloff Benny Gallery on the 4th floor. The documentation of the subject, the analytical precision and the beauty of the images are just breathtaking. The ROM is fully stroller accessible. They also rent toddler strollers.
@ Jane Corkin Gallery : Andre Kertesz in Toronto. From one of the best photographers some beautiful images taken during his time in Toronto. There are no steps to access inside the gallery but once in you need to take baby out and leave the stroller close to the reception desk in order to enjoy the exhibit.
@ King Street - Robert Longo men in the cities:This large scale public installation shows human figures in the front of city lines - figures appear as if they are falling. Ecstasy or agony, not sure, timeliness, that is for sure. It is a street installation and is fully stroller accessible.
@ Brookfield Place - Alain Paiement - Over here, over there: This unique exhibit is a fascinating in subject, technique and presentation. The exhibit is displayed on the floor of the Brookfield place, it is fully stroller accessible.
@ Beau-Xi Photo - The Boreal Collective:Photojournalism at its best from the photographers from the Boreale Collective. There are 7 steps to get into the gallery and to access the lower part of the gallery you need to take baby out. Note that staff was extremely charming and offered to help.
@ Lausberg Contemporary - Lluis Barba: A unique presentation of classic master pieces with contemporary events and figures. The lower level alsi features beautiful pieces by James Robert Durant, David Burdeny, M+M and Katharina Mayer. There are 7 steps to get into the gallery and to access the lower part of the gallery you need to take baby out.
There is loads more to see, more to come shortly. For now enjoy and happy exhibit viewing!
@ the ROM - Edward Burtynsky's - Oil : This impressive 53 large print edition takes on the Roloff Benny Gallery on the 4th floor. The documentation of the subject, the analytical precision and the beauty of the images are just breathtaking. The ROM is fully stroller accessible. They also rent toddler strollers.
@ Jane Corkin Gallery : Andre Kertesz in Toronto. From one of the best photographers some beautiful images taken during his time in Toronto. There are no steps to access inside the gallery but once in you need to take baby out and leave the stroller close to the reception desk in order to enjoy the exhibit.
@ King Street - Robert Longo men in the cities:This large scale public installation shows human figures in the front of city lines - figures appear as if they are falling. Ecstasy or agony, not sure, timeliness, that is for sure. It is a street installation and is fully stroller accessible.
@ Brookfield Place - Alain Paiement - Over here, over there: This unique exhibit is a fascinating in subject, technique and presentation. The exhibit is displayed on the floor of the Brookfield place, it is fully stroller accessible.
@ Beau-Xi Photo - The Boreal Collective:Photojournalism at its best from the photographers from the Boreale Collective. There are 7 steps to get into the gallery and to access the lower part of the gallery you need to take baby out. Note that staff was extremely charming and offered to help.
@ Lausberg Contemporary - Lluis Barba: A unique presentation of classic master pieces with contemporary events and figures. The lower level alsi features beautiful pieces by James Robert Durant, David Burdeny, M+M and Katharina Mayer. There are 7 steps to get into the gallery and to access the lower part of the gallery you need to take baby out.
There is loads more to see, more to come shortly. For now enjoy and happy exhibit viewing!
May 06, 2011Edward Burtynsky "Oil" at the ROM, Alain Paiement at Brookfield Place
The month of May is a very exciting month - it is the month of the Contact Photography festival http://www.scotiabankcontactphoto.com/. The entire city offers exhibits from local and international photographers - a real treat.
The theme this year is exploring the relationship between figure and ground - an interesting theme which can be interpreted in numerous ways. I ventured out to see some exhibits:
Edward Burtynsky "Oil" at the ROM
This grand scale exhibit featuring fifty three large format prints was impressive to say the least. The exhibit presents the entire cycle oil from the refineries to the consumption and the impacts in between. Each image appeared to have an analytic precision, perfectly calculated to offer the strongest presentation of the subject. The images made you stop and think about the impact has on our lives, some effects were just breathtaking such as the ship breakings where you see the workers disassembling the oil ships up to five times their size. It also makes you stop and admire a beautiful photograph. The exhibit combines 12 years of travel and research. It is rich and thorough. Photography at its best. Click here for details on the exhibit
http://www.scotiabankcontactphoto.com/
Alain Paiement at Brookfield Place
Browsing through the Contact Catalogue the details of his exhibit and images appeared unique as he displays daily life scenes in a birds eye view. Interesting as he also uses 3D software to create the image. So it was exciting that our "Nutshell tour" with Walk TO started at Brookfield place, I could catch a glimpse of the images. Now unique was an understatement, the images were exhibited on the floor of Brookfield place. The effect of space and privacy is very strong, you feel like you are peaking into someone's private moment. Click here for details on the exhibit
More will follow as today we have our whole day photoshoot at Pikto in the Distillery - so I will get a chance to browse all the Distillery has to offer. For more details on all exhibits visit the Scotia Bank Contact Photo festival site
The theme this year is exploring the relationship between figure and ground - an interesting theme which can be interpreted in numerous ways. I ventured out to see some exhibits:
Edward Burtynsky "Oil" at the ROM
This grand scale exhibit featuring fifty three large format prints was impressive to say the least. The exhibit presents the entire cycle oil from the refineries to the consumption and the impacts in between. Each image appeared to have an analytic precision, perfectly calculated to offer the strongest presentation of the subject. The images made you stop and think about the impact has on our lives, some effects were just breathtaking such as the ship breakings where you see the workers disassembling the oil ships up to five times their size. It also makes you stop and admire a beautiful photograph. The exhibit combines 12 years of travel and research. It is rich and thorough. Photography at its best. Click here for details on the exhibit
http://www.scotiabankcontactphoto.com/
Alain Paiement at Brookfield Place
Browsing through the Contact Catalogue the details of his exhibit and images appeared unique as he displays daily life scenes in a birds eye view. Interesting as he also uses 3D software to create the image. So it was exciting that our "Nutshell tour" with Walk TO started at Brookfield place, I could catch a glimpse of the images. Now unique was an understatement, the images were exhibited on the floor of Brookfield place. The effect of space and privacy is very strong, you feel like you are peaking into someone's private moment. Click here for details on the exhibit
More will follow as today we have our whole day photoshoot at Pikto in the Distillery - so I will get a chance to browse all the Distillery has to offer. For more details on all exhibits visit the Scotia Bank Contact Photo festival site
April 30, 2011Art is all around us - Dufflet and the Hip Harem pants at MiniMioche
One of my strongest beliefs is that art and artists are all around us. In a way, all people that create are artists - whether they create a piece of clothing, a chair, a desert, shoes, an interior design or even a presentation, a spreadsheet or an agreement - knowledge, craft, attention to detail and a brink of creativity goes into it and all create something which didn't didn't exist before. With that in mind I will highlight two art crafts I found on my way to my son's music lesson this morning.
Dufflet pastries. Known and loved by many, this pastry shop offers some of the best deserts I have ever tasted. Every time you walk into the Queen W store, all cakes, tarts and cookies are beautifully aligned. Choosing one is one of the hardest decisions of my day. My eldest can't get enough of their sugar cookies - each week is a different shape following the holiday or the season. The venue is simple yet cozy, the coffee very enjoyable and the deserts, delicious pieces or art.
The Hip Harem Pants at MiniMioche are just the most adorable and practical pants I hav come across in quite some time. They have a great fit, practical color selection, are tight at the ankles but not too tight on the legs and are just adorable! That would go for the entire MiniMioche collection. I picked up a charcoal pair for my seven month old who is quite at ease and stylish while she masters her crawling skills. The new MiniMioche store is located a few doors west of Dufflet at 795 Queen W.
I highlight two of my favored stores but this post could go on and on with all the fabulous creations and stores we find in various parts of our city. In our own way we are all artists and art is all around us.
Dufflet pastries. Known and loved by many, this pastry shop offers some of the best deserts I have ever tasted. Every time you walk into the Queen W store, all cakes, tarts and cookies are beautifully aligned. Choosing one is one of the hardest decisions of my day. My eldest can't get enough of their sugar cookies - each week is a different shape following the holiday or the season. The venue is simple yet cozy, the coffee very enjoyable and the deserts, delicious pieces or art.
The Hip Harem Pants at MiniMioche are just the most adorable and practical pants I hav come across in quite some time. They have a great fit, practical color selection, are tight at the ankles but not too tight on the legs and are just adorable! That would go for the entire MiniMioche collection. I picked up a charcoal pair for my seven month old who is quite at ease and stylish while she masters her crawling skills. The new MiniMioche store is located a few doors west of Dufflet at 795 Queen W.
I highlight two of my favored stores but this post could go on and on with all the fabulous creations and stores we find in various parts of our city. In our own way we are all artists and art is all around us.
April 29, 2011Great overview of our events by Toronto4Kids and Sweetmama
We had the great fortune to have our events talked about by two of the biggest parent resources in Toronto this week.
Toronto4kids published a great overview of our Creative Playtime with Baby at My Artlab in their newsletter this week. Toronto4kids offers a listings of all events for families in Toronto, in addition to a series of articles and a blog filled with great information where both myself and Andrew Taylor contribute to. To register to Toronto4kids newsletter go to: http://www.toronto4kids.com/
Sweetmama is one of the best resources for all things baby and parenthood. It was a pleasure to welcome them to our Simply Babies! family photography session with Andrew Taylor. They beautifully describe the event and Andrew's style in the following article. here
Toronto4kids published a great overview of our Creative Playtime with Baby at My Artlab in their newsletter this week. Toronto4kids offers a listings of all events for families in Toronto, in addition to a series of articles and a blog filled with great information where both myself and Andrew Taylor contribute to. To register to Toronto4kids newsletter go to: http://www.toronto4kids.com/
Sweetmama is one of the best resources for all things baby and parenthood. It was a pleasure to welcome them to our Simply Babies! family photography session with Andrew Taylor. They beautifully describe the event and Andrew's style in the following article. here
April 22, 2011Nature Unleashed at the Science Centre
On Wednesday we headed towards the Science Centre. Our goal was to see the "Nature Unleashed". We made it straight to the sixth floor to see the exhibit. First thing we saw was a tree struck by lightning which was very impressive. I was not too sure what to expect from an exhibit on nature's catastrophe's. It can be presented in so many ways and has so many elements attached to it - the historical, the scientific, the disasters, the aftermaths, the forecasts and so on.
So we venture in and were taken by the amount of information that greeted us inside. To sum it up, the exhibit really showed all aspects of the disasters - hearing the sound of an earthquake at different scales and being able to touch a volcano pre and post eruption to being in a car while a hurricane passes by. It was a busy exhibit to say the least and one which in order to be fully absorbed is to be visited a few times with some research on each disaster prior.
One surprising and absolutely wonderful element was the use of photography in large scale prints of the aftermaths of the hurricane. The images showed the homes that were destroyed and to accompany the image an object that survived the event and could found in the image. So in front of us we had an old clarinet case with the clarinet still inside and we then were able to find the clarinet on the image of the destroyed home. It was absolutely fabulous and really drew us to look close into the image and see all its elements. Further in the exhibit there were street signs and various elements that survived hurricanes in display and reenacting a street scene. The combination of the large scale photography and the objects really draws us into the reality of such events. There was an aerial image of a town in Kansas totally destroyed, row after row of destroyed houses and their story as how they are working to rebuilt it. All in all the exhibit does not disappoint in showing the science and the human side of the disasters.
The exhibit runs until May 1st. The exhibit is positioned as a memorable and powerful experience - and it most definitely is.
So we venture in and were taken by the amount of information that greeted us inside. To sum it up, the exhibit really showed all aspects of the disasters - hearing the sound of an earthquake at different scales and being able to touch a volcano pre and post eruption to being in a car while a hurricane passes by. It was a busy exhibit to say the least and one which in order to be fully absorbed is to be visited a few times with some research on each disaster prior.
One surprising and absolutely wonderful element was the use of photography in large scale prints of the aftermaths of the hurricane. The images showed the homes that were destroyed and to accompany the image an object that survived the event and could found in the image. So in front of us we had an old clarinet case with the clarinet still inside and we then were able to find the clarinet on the image of the destroyed home. It was absolutely fabulous and really drew us to look close into the image and see all its elements. Further in the exhibit there were street signs and various elements that survived hurricanes in display and reenacting a street scene. The combination of the large scale photography and the objects really draws us into the reality of such events. There was an aerial image of a town in Kansas totally destroyed, row after row of destroyed houses and their story as how they are working to rebuilt it. All in all the exhibit does not disappoint in showing the science and the human side of the disasters.
The exhibit runs until May 1st. The exhibit is positioned as a memorable and powerful experience - and it most definitely is.
April 19, 2011Cloud Gardens in the downtown core
Two weeks back we had a fabulous tour lead by Lauren from Walk TO. The tour was called Art & The city. We started off at the new city hall and made our way through amazing buildings and installations to finish at the Design Exchange. New commercial buildings in Toronto are to invest 1% towards art installations, so we saw some very impressive art within and surrounding the office buildings. I will go into more of what we saw in later posts. What really caught all of us by surprise are the Cloud Gardens. They are located on the south side of Richmond Street just East of Bay.
The Gardens are quite impressive as they include a waterfall, a conservatory, terraces with bridges and ramps and a construction style monument in honor of construction workers. What surprised us is that most of the moms on tour pass in that area either by foot or by car on a very regular basis yet never realized the richness of the space. It is definitely worth visiting. In the meantime I found this link that describes it beautifully. http://www.lostrivers.ca/points/cloudgrdnpk.htm
The Gardens are quite impressive as they include a waterfall, a conservatory, terraces with bridges and ramps and a construction style monument in honor of construction workers. What surprised us is that most of the moms on tour pass in that area either by foot or by car on a very regular basis yet never realized the richness of the space. It is definitely worth visiting. In the meantime I found this link that describes it beautifully. http://www.lostrivers.ca/points/cloudgrdnpk.htm
April 09, 2011Our AGO Finds - MoMA Modern Playhouse and The Secret Language of Art
On Friday I ventured to the AGO with my 2 year old. We always spend some wonderful times walking throught the exhibits. After taking in a bit of contemporary on the fifth floor we went to the AGO shop. The goal was to find something fun and interactive for both boys. To my delight, we found the MoMA Modern Playhouse - I had seen this on the MoMA online store and was quite intrigued. The house is a set of modular nesting boxes where kids can hone their interior design and architectural skills. They can sort the pieces as they wish and create an endless possibility of designs. To accompany we picked up the MoMa Modern day family - my eldest loves role and this fit the bill to perfection.
Click here for more details about the MoMA Modern Playhouse on the MoMA online store.
Dizzy with excitement with my purchase, we were on our way out when a book caught my eye - The Secret Language of Art: The Illustrated Decoder of Symbols and Figures in Western Paintings.
For some time I have been looking for an easy to understand guide to the key figures, myths and symbols relating to most Renaissance painting. Especially when dealing with various mythological gods. This was it! It shows various works of art - then tells you who is in the works explaining their role in history as well as highlighting various elements depicted in the works. After dinner when the boys started occupying themselves with various activities, I picked up the book. As it shows one work per double page spread, I was able to read two works and then tend to the kids. Perfect for a quick browse. After a while the boys came near and we all read the book together - the bold images and descriptive text made it a perfect interactive piece. So altogether we read more about Venus and Mars and the Young Bacchus.
Click here to purchase the book on the Art Strollers online store powered by Amazone or visit the AGO book shop.
Click here for more details about the MoMA Modern Playhouse on the MoMA online store.
Dizzy with excitement with my purchase, we were on our way out when a book caught my eye - The Secret Language of Art: The Illustrated Decoder of Symbols and Figures in Western Paintings.
For some time I have been looking for an easy to understand guide to the key figures, myths and symbols relating to most Renaissance painting. Especially when dealing with various mythological gods. This was it! It shows various works of art - then tells you who is in the works explaining their role in history as well as highlighting various elements depicted in the works. After dinner when the boys started occupying themselves with various activities, I picked up the book. As it shows one work per double page spread, I was able to read two works and then tend to the kids. Perfect for a quick browse. After a while the boys came near and we all read the book together - the bold images and descriptive text made it a perfect interactive piece. So altogether we read more about Venus and Mars and the Young Bacchus.
Click here to purchase the book on the Art Strollers online store powered by Amazone or visit the AGO book shop.
April 03, 2011Skwish Classic by Manhattan Toy
This week I traveled to Montreal with my youngest who is now six month old. I packed very light and thus brought little toys. Once on location I set out to find a little something for her to enjoy during her stay. In a great toy store at Place Ville Marie I found the Skwish Classic by Manhattan toy.
At first glance it looked like something a little too hazardous for a six month old but the lady reassured me that it was safe and the kids loved it. My was she ever right! Not only is the Skwish collapsable and easy to grab with her little fingers. The little balls are perfect for teething and the larger balls inside move offering visual stimulation and sound. At a closer glance it even has the complementary colours combined – green and red, purple and yello and orange and blue.
The little had a blast with her Skwish during our stay and now on the train back to Toronto she still can't get enough!
Click here for more details about the Skwish on the Manhattan Toy website.
At first glance it looked like something a little too hazardous for a six month old but the lady reassured me that it was safe and the kids loved it. My was she ever right! Not only is the Skwish collapsable and easy to grab with her little fingers. The little balls are perfect for teething and the larger balls inside move offering visual stimulation and sound. At a closer glance it even has the complementary colours combined – green and red, purple and yello and orange and blue.
The little had a blast with her Skwish during our stay and now on the train back to Toronto she still can't get enough!
Click here for more details about the Skwish on the Manhattan Toy website.
March 27, 2011Say Hello to Zorro! By Carter Goodrich publched by Simon & Schuster
This week I received a copy of Say Hello to Zorro! When we picked up the package it was perfect timing as we were on our way to the library with the eldest and the baby.
The cover introduces us to the two main charachers of the book Mr. Bud and Zorro. My eldest was busy with a book on Ambulances so I went ahead and delved right into it and really enjoyed the two characters. Mr.Bud has his little routine going, every day same thing at the same time until one day Zorro arrives and then they learn how to deal with each other.
It is a great parralell for a sibling situation, especially when they reach toddler stage but it is also a good parralell for any situation we get used to and how we can adapt. Say Hello to Zorro! Falls in this great category of books which are great for children and adults alike. Once the eldest finished with the Ambulances he got curious at what I was laughing at and we both enjoyed the story together while baby slept away.
This week is the last week to enter our draw to win your copy of Say Hello to Zorro! click here to register and for more details on the book
The cover introduces us to the two main charachers of the book Mr. Bud and Zorro. My eldest was busy with a book on Ambulances so I went ahead and delved right into it and really enjoyed the two characters. Mr.Bud has his little routine going, every day same thing at the same time until one day Zorro arrives and then they learn how to deal with each other.
It is a great parralell for a sibling situation, especially when they reach toddler stage but it is also a good parralell for any situation we get used to and how we can adapt. Say Hello to Zorro! Falls in this great category of books which are great for children and adults alike. Once the eldest finished with the Ambulances he got curious at what I was laughing at and we both enjoyed the story together while baby slept away.
This week is the last week to enter our draw to win your copy of Say Hello to Zorro! click here to register and for more details on the book
March 19, 2011Water Exhibit at the ROM - Royal Ontario Museum
Last week I took my two year old to see the Water exhibition at the ROM. The exhibit really met all expectations. It offered the visual, tactile and informational stimulations. He was taken by all displays available at his level, the favorite was the Cambodian fishing house with the fished swimming under the water level.
The exhibit showed all the impacts water has on our lives, from the importance it plays in our bodies to the earth all the way to the explanation of the New York sewage system. The presentation of the water condensation was just brilliant, anything that has to do with science is way over my head yet everything was presented in a way that made it easy to explain to the little one and to learn something. It was a wealth of information presented in an understandable form.
Will venture to the exhibit again with my four year old this week. Can't wait for his input and findings. The exhibit is highly recommended for all.
One additional note. The photography for the promotional images were taken by Daniel Ehrenworth. The images are splendid. They offer a very modern and playful take on the exhibit. Brilliant use of colour and lighting. Simple yet very powerful imagery.
For more details on the exhibit visit: http://www.rom.on.ca/water/exhibition/.
The exhibit showed all the impacts water has on our lives, from the importance it plays in our bodies to the earth all the way to the explanation of the New York sewage system. The presentation of the water condensation was just brilliant, anything that has to do with science is way over my head yet everything was presented in a way that made it easy to explain to the little one and to learn something. It was a wealth of information presented in an understandable form.
Will venture to the exhibit again with my four year old this week. Can't wait for his input and findings. The exhibit is highly recommended for all.
One additional note. The photography for the promotional images were taken by Daniel Ehrenworth. The images are splendid. They offer a very modern and playful take on the exhibit. Brilliant use of colour and lighting. Simple yet very powerful imagery.
For more details on the exhibit visit: http://www.rom.on.ca/water/exhibition/.
March 15, 2011Rouge Concept Gallery – Exposition Graffito 2011
During our Queen Street East tour last week we stopped at Rouge Concept. Nancy welcomed us in the midst of finsihing their installation for a new show – Exposition Graffito 2011. The exhibit features two graffiti style artists: Murray Duncan and Jimmy Chiales. Their styles cannot be more different and the juxtaposition of their works makes the exhibit a pleasure to see. Jimmy Chiales – displays bold and bright colours while Murray Duncan works with paint and resin layers to create the graffiti drawings, his works are all black and beige, a reminder of sepia style images.
The exhibit was perfect for the little ones. Chiales' colorful works first attracted the attention. The burst of colors and the shapes and forms used in each work causes an effect of "getting lost" in the picture. So much energy and vitality can be felt. With my two year old, we explored it all. Duncan' works had a calming effect and raised much questions about the techniques and the words used in each work. We sat on the couch and carefully looked at each one - trying to read the words and make meaning of it. Simply a superb exhibit for all.
The gallery is stroller accessible and located at 732 Queen St E. For more details about the exhibit click here.
Art Strollers has a second free tour scheduled for Queen Street E. on Thursday March 24th at 2pm where we will visit the exhibit at Rouge Concept – click here to register.
The exhibit was perfect for the little ones. Chiales' colorful works first attracted the attention. The burst of colors and the shapes and forms used in each work causes an effect of "getting lost" in the picture. So much energy and vitality can be felt. With my two year old, we explored it all. Duncan' works had a calming effect and raised much questions about the techniques and the words used in each work. We sat on the couch and carefully looked at each one - trying to read the words and make meaning of it. Simply a superb exhibit for all.
The gallery is stroller accessible and located at 732 Queen St E. For more details about the exhibit click here.
Art Strollers has a second free tour scheduled for Queen Street E. on Thursday March 24th at 2pm where we will visit the exhibit at Rouge Concept – click here to register.
March 08, 2011In and About My Art Lab by Andjelija Djuric
While looking around and reorganizing boxes and materials in the studio recently, I stumbled upon a long folded piece of cardboard. Its size and
proportions were perfect. I jut wasn't sure for what. Soon after, I started looking through one of my favorite books I use for inspiration: Butterflies by photographer Thomas Marent. I imagined the kids transforming the cardboard into something colorful, playful and magical.
The next morning, at Wonder Lab session, this is exactly what happened but with much more laughter, excitement, and mess that I could imagine! Each child created a beautiful set of fantasy wings, and I even got to tell my own version of the story of Icarus. I used all the drama that I could muster up to hold the kids still for a moment and see the wonder in their eyes. Soon the butterflies were running all around the studio and no one could ever catch them.
proportions were perfect. I jut wasn't sure for what. Soon after, I started looking through one of my favorite books I use for inspiration: Butterflies by photographer Thomas Marent. I imagined the kids transforming the cardboard into something colorful, playful and magical.
The next morning, at Wonder Lab session, this is exactly what happened but with much more laughter, excitement, and mess that I could imagine! Each child created a beautiful set of fantasy wings, and I even got to tell my own version of the story of Icarus. I used all the drama that I could muster up to hold the kids still for a moment and see the wonder in their eyes. Soon the butterflies were running all around the studio and no one could ever catch them.
March 05, 2011The Shop at the Design Exchange
Last Monday I attended the Playful Mind Salon Series hosted by the Children's Own Museum at the Design Exchance. A fabulous talk about motherhood, community and collaboration. I fell in love with the Design Exchange. The space in itself is quite unique – it lies in the old TSX building – most probably is what triggered the name. I am quite excited to offer a tour on April 29th where we will learn more about the building, their mission and see their exhibit.
While there, I discovered their shop located on the ground floor. They have a fabulous selection of Canadian designers. From mobiles by Contexture, to notebooks by Ecojot to Foldable Canadian animals by Lawrie McIntosh. They offer a fabulous selection of great objects.
Definitely worth a visit or join us on the tour in April – we will spend some time shopping!
For more details about the Design Exchange visit – http://www.dx.org to register for the Art Strollers tour go to - www.artstrollers.com/guided_museum_tours
While there, I discovered their shop located on the ground floor. They have a fabulous selection of Canadian designers. From mobiles by Contexture, to notebooks by Ecojot to Foldable Canadian animals by Lawrie McIntosh. They offer a fabulous selection of great objects.
Definitely worth a visit or join us on the tour in April – we will spend some time shopping!
For more details about the Design Exchange visit – http://www.dx.org to register for the Art Strollers tour go to - www.artstrollers.com/guided_museum_tours
February 26, 2011Music and Truffles
Last Sunday I took my eldest who is a little over four to "Music and Truffles". He absolutely loves music and we enjoyed a few performances around the city so I was quite excited to discover this series which did not disapoint. I am a big fan of exposing childrent to the real experiences, so being in the Walter Hall at U of T was quite a bonus. The concert is quite ingenious as it incorporates a character “Papageno” who offers an explanation of the music as the musicians play.
In this performance which featured the Debussy Quartet, Papageno talked about the composer Debussy, his struggles to compose this string quartet piece, various passages within the piece and details about the instruments. He even acted it out on the stage, doing as if he was in the process of composing the music while the quartet played.
All in all, the little one was thrilled to see a live performance and loved Papageno and I learned a fair bit about a string quatet and the composer. At the end we all had chocolate. Doesn't get better than that! For details visit http://www.mooredaleconcerts.com/Music-and-Truffles.html
In this performance which featured the Debussy Quartet, Papageno talked about the composer Debussy, his struggles to compose this string quartet piece, various passages within the piece and details about the instruments. He even acted it out on the stage, doing as if he was in the process of composing the music while the quartet played.
All in all, the little one was thrilled to see a live performance and loved Papageno and I learned a fair bit about a string quatet and the composer. At the end we all had chocolate. Doesn't get better than that! For details visit http://www.mooredaleconcerts.com/Music-and-Truffles.html
February 19, 2011Exhibits, exhibits and more exhibits
This week was filled with exhibition viewing. We started the week with veturing into the ROM to see an exhibit on Chopin . I found the exhibit on their site and as my eldest is learning the piano thought it would be an interesting outing. We were not deceived. The small exhibit is tucked away on the fourth floor of the old part to the museum. It features two of the original Pleyel pianos and offers a wealth of information. The exhibit is dense in reading but given its small size it is just perfect. It is surrounded by living arrangements from various periods ranging from the Baroque era up to the Art Deco period.
On Tuesday we ventured to the AGO. We focused on the Canadian collection. Catching a glimpse of the Group of Seven and working hard at finding all the horses and cows in the pieces. Located on the 2nd floor, we rarely took the time to enjoy it and it was a real pleasure to browse through it. The collection hosts a lot of inuit art both traditional and contemporary.
On Thursday, Art Strollers hosted its free gallery tour in the Distillery. It was a beautiful day and a little over thirty moms joined us for the tour. Starting at Art Gallery www.artagallery.ca we saw an exhibit by Drawn Onward, a group who followed in the footsteps of the Group of Seven and presented a wonderful exhibit featuring their adventures in plein air painting at Canoe Lake. The paintings and drawings were reminiscent of the Canadian scenery and offered an array of styles and colours. The children were especially attracted to Jeremy Down's relief series. Our next stop was at Engine Gallery www.enginegallery.cawhere Pamela Goldfarb's “Elements” where non-traditional painting materials such as lead, copper,graphite and rust are used. The strong geometrical compositions presented in large format attracted the attention of both moms and babes. Last on the exhibition list was Pikto www.pikto.com where they displayed Rafal Gerszak's exhibit “Thousand” showing his images from Afghanistan. Gerszak spent many months with the troops and the images presented really capture a strong essence amongst the people who live on the land. The tour finished at SOMA – definitely one of the best chocolatiers in the city!
On Tuesday we ventured to the AGO. We focused on the Canadian collection. Catching a glimpse of the Group of Seven and working hard at finding all the horses and cows in the pieces. Located on the 2nd floor, we rarely took the time to enjoy it and it was a real pleasure to browse through it. The collection hosts a lot of inuit art both traditional and contemporary.
On Thursday, Art Strollers hosted its free gallery tour in the Distillery. It was a beautiful day and a little over thirty moms joined us for the tour. Starting at Art Gallery www.artagallery.ca we saw an exhibit by Drawn Onward, a group who followed in the footsteps of the Group of Seven and presented a wonderful exhibit featuring their adventures in plein air painting at Canoe Lake. The paintings and drawings were reminiscent of the Canadian scenery and offered an array of styles and colours. The children were especially attracted to Jeremy Down's relief series. Our next stop was at Engine Gallery www.enginegallery.cawhere Pamela Goldfarb's “Elements” where non-traditional painting materials such as lead, copper,graphite and rust are used. The strong geometrical compositions presented in large format attracted the attention of both moms and babes. Last on the exhibition list was Pikto www.pikto.com where they displayed Rafal Gerszak's exhibit “Thousand” showing his images from Afghanistan. Gerszak spent many months with the troops and the images presented really capture a strong essence amongst the people who live on the land. The tour finished at SOMA – definitely one of the best chocolatiers in the city!
February 12, 2011GO Art Drawing Kit at the AGO
Most of my days are spent going from place to place with either my four year old, my two year old or both. A book or two is always in tow and up to recently my notebook and pen were of best amusement.
It was great to find a little kit that the boys could use while we are out and about. The Go Art Drawing kit fits in my purse, has everything the boys need for a creative adventure on the go and I get to keep a clean notebook. Plus they love having a little something of their own. I found the Drawing kit at the AGO store. They also offer it online. A watercolor version is also available.
It was great to find a little kit that the boys could use while we are out and about. The Go Art Drawing kit fits in my purse, has everything the boys need for a creative adventure on the go and I get to keep a clean notebook. Plus they love having a little something of their own. I found the Drawing kit at the AGO store. They also offer it online. A watercolor version is also available.
February 05, 2011Toronto Institute for the Enjoyment of Music
Exploring music with your child is one of the best experiences a parent can enjoy. Over a year ago, it is with delight that I discovered The Toronto Institute for Music on Queen W. The professional studio holds an air of engaging creativity.
Every Saturday at 11am they offer group lessons for children. The instructor, Francois, reaches out to children by exposing them to all facets of music – one day it is an overview of African music, another, they explore the notes through the alphabet, they discover the instruments by learning about them, hearing them and then playing them.
They also offer private classes where the studio really adapts the learning to each child to ensure a strong music foundation based on their preferences. Both my four year old and my two year old have their own private lessons, the four year old focuses on the piano while the two year old is exploring everything - literally everything- in the studio. It's really great to be able to accomodate their unique learning styles. Can't wait to see what baby number three is going to enjoy!
For more details visit: http://www.enjoymusictoronto.com/home.html
Every Saturday at 11am they offer group lessons for children. The instructor, Francois, reaches out to children by exposing them to all facets of music – one day it is an overview of African music, another, they explore the notes through the alphabet, they discover the instruments by learning about them, hearing them and then playing them.
They also offer private classes where the studio really adapts the learning to each child to ensure a strong music foundation based on their preferences. Both my four year old and my two year old have their own private lessons, the four year old focuses on the piano while the two year old is exploring everything - literally everything- in the studio. It's really great to be able to accomodate their unique learning styles. Can't wait to see what baby number three is going to enjoy!
For more details visit: http://www.enjoymusictoronto.com/home.html
February 02, 2011"This is New York" by Miroslav Sasek
One of my favorite things is to explore books with the kids. We walked into Kolkid and the goal was to find a book that explored different cities around the world and there it was a whole section of books by Miroslav Sasek, an illustrator who created a series of books featuring cities and countries from around the world.. The books he wrote painted a delightful and evocative picture of some of the world's great cities. We picked up – This is New York – having lived in New York for two years I was as excited as the kids to learn about the city as illustrated by M.Sasek in the 60's.
The illustrations are splendid, the featured places shows the city in all it's elements from its landmarks, its geography and its small wonders such as Macdougal Street. He touches on uptown, downtown, the bridges, the views from Brooklyn and much much more.
This is just the start, next is Paris, London, Rome...
Kolkid is located at 674 Queen St W – their site http://www.kolkid.ca/basic_index.html is under construction so I was unable to find it there.
For more about the M.Sasek collection here: http://www.miroslavsasek.com/index.html
The illustrations are splendid, the featured places shows the city in all it's elements from its landmarks, its geography and its small wonders such as Macdougal Street. He touches on uptown, downtown, the bridges, the views from Brooklyn and much much more.
This is just the start, next is Paris, London, Rome...
Kolkid is located at 674 Queen St W – their site http://www.kolkid.ca/basic_index.html is under construction so I was unable to find it there.
For more about the M.Sasek collection here: http://www.miroslavsasek.com/index.html
January 31, 2011The Animals Conference Exhibit at the AGO
Walter Trier's exhibits at the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) - "Toyland" and "The Animals' Conference" are a feast for the eyes for both young and old. The illustrations are colourful, engaging and appealing to all. The exhibit is hung at children's eye level and the entire room is converted for the little ones, including drawing tables and a casket of plush toys, all resembling the animals in the illustrations.
A little more about Walter Trier: The Animals' Conference
Featuring more than 30 original pen-ink-and-watercolour illustrations by Walter Trier, The Animals' Conference is a classic children's book written by Erich Kastner and published in 1947. It tells a story of a group of animals who hold a peace conference at the same time as government leaders meet to discuss war. As the story progresses, the animals are forced to take drastic measures to ensure a future without conflict. The playful story unfolds through Trier's vivid watercolours, and in a nod to its young visitors, the AGO has replaced traditional wall labels with the text of the story and hung the works at a kid-friendly height. Hands-on activities for kids will be available inside the exhibition and copies of various translations and editions of the book will also be on view.
For more details visit: http://www.ago.net/walter-trier-the-animals-conference
A little more about Walter Trier: The Animals' Conference
Featuring more than 30 original pen-ink-and-watercolour illustrations by Walter Trier, The Animals' Conference is a classic children's book written by Erich Kastner and published in 1947. It tells a story of a group of animals who hold a peace conference at the same time as government leaders meet to discuss war. As the story progresses, the animals are forced to take drastic measures to ensure a future without conflict. The playful story unfolds through Trier's vivid watercolours, and in a nod to its young visitors, the AGO has replaced traditional wall labels with the text of the story and hung the works at a kid-friendly height. Hands-on activities for kids will be available inside the exhibition and copies of various translations and editions of the book will also be on view.
For more details visit: http://www.ago.net/walter-trier-the-animals-conference